miller



' (N'oModeL) 1 J. S. MILLER.

TRACE PASTENER.

No. 275,245.. Patented Apr. 3,1883.

UNITED STATES JOHN S. MILLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR ()F ONE-HALF GUSTAV EREY, OF SAME PLACE.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRACE-FASTENYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,245, dated April 3, 1883.

Application filed May 24. 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. MILLER, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Trace-Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partot' this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a Side view with the cadet the whiffletree in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section. 4 is an end view. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are crosssections taken respectively on lines 5, 6, and 7, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 8 is adetail view.

A represents one end of a whiffletree. B is the clip, having a head, O, and spindle D. On the spindle D, a short distance from the head, is an annular collar or flange, E, which bears against an annular flange, F, on the end of, a sleeve, F, which surrounds the inner portion of the spindle, as shown. The inner endof the spindle has a reduced portion, F which is surrounded by a coiled or other spring, G. One end of this spring is secured to the spindle and the other end to the sleeve by means of hooks or lugs F G, as shown in Fig. 6, or otherwise. The spindle is held from endwise movement in the sleeve by means of a washer, H, and pin H, or by other suitable means. On the inner face of the collarE isalugor pin,

Fig.

E, which works in a slot, F, in the flange F of the sleeve. It will now be seen that the normal position ofthe head of the clip isatright angles to the slot in the trace, and that it can be turned a one-quarter revolution forits easy insertion through the slot To prevent danger of the clip heingpulled out of its socket, I make the sleeve Fot' larger diameter at its inner end, andmake a saw-cut, A, in the end of the whiftletree. Then when the ferrule I is driven on, the outer end of the whiffletree will be tightened upon the smaller part of the sleeve, which prevents its withdrawal.

I claim 1. The combination of whiftletree A, collar E, spindle D, sleeve F, within which the spindle turns, and coiled spring G, secured by its ends to the spindle and sleeve, respectively, the spindle D forming a part of the clip, and located, with the sleeve F, in the end of the whiffletree, as set forth.

2. The combination of whifiietree A, clip B, with collar E and lug E, sleeve F, with collar F and slot F spring G, and washer and pin H H, all made substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JNO. S. MILLER.

Witnesses GEo. H. KNIGHT, AUGUST WEBER. 

